NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition
The NHL All-Star Game SuperSkills Competition, originally known as the National Hockey League All-Star Skills Competition, is an event on the night preceding the All-Star Game. Started at the 41st National Hockey League All-Star Game in Pittsburgh in 1990, the NHL uses the event to showcase the talents of its all-star participants. Events include shot accuracy, fastest skater, Puck Control Relay, hardest shot, Breakaway Challenge, and an Elimination Shootout. The teams are broken up in a similar fashion to how the All-Star Game is broken up; either by conference or world vs. North America. Points are given to the winning conference at the end of each event. Puck Control Relay The purpose of the event is to be fastest skater over the course while also maintaining control of the puck through a series of pylons. There are two races; the first where each team has three skaters in a race against each other and the second for the best individuals of each conference. One goal awarded to the winning team of each competition. Winners Fastest skater The purpose of the event is to be fastest skater around a lap of the rink. There are two competitions; one for the team and one for the fastest individual Winners Hardest shot The purpose of the event is to have the hardest shot. Two points are awarded; one for the team with the highest average and one for the individual with the hardest shot. Zdeno Chara owns the record for the hardest shot with 105.4 mph in 2009, besting Al Iafrate's previous record of 105.2 mph. Winners Most accurate shot The purpose of the event is to hit the four targets attached to the four corners of a goal. Two points are awarded; one for the team with highest accuracy and one for the individual with that is most accurate. On seven occasions has a player hit all four targets on the minimum number of attempts; Ray Bourque in 1992 and 1993, Mark Messier in 1996, Jeremy Roenick in 2004, Tomas Kaberle in 2008, and Dany Heatley, and Evgeni Malkin in 2009. Winners Breakaway Challenge The purpose of the event is to use teamwork to score on a breakaway against an opposing goalie. Points are awarded to the team with the most goals and the individual goalie who lets in the least number of goals. From the 2007–08 season onwards, the Breakaway Challenge format was changed to a "slam dunk" style challenge, where individual shooters showcase creative and skillful breakaways, with the winner being determined by fan voting via text messaging. Winners Elimination Shootout The purpose of the event is for individual scorers to try to score on a breakaway against an opposing goalie. Shooters who score stay alive in the contest while those failing to score are eliminated. The contest goes until all shooters are eliminated but one, with that shooter being the winner. Winners Overall winner External links *The National Hockey League (NHL) All Star Game Superskills Competition *Results -- 2008 SuperSkills Competition *Bruins' Chara breaks hardest shot mark Category:National Hockey League Category:NHL All-Star Games